GB154567A - Improvements in machines for scaling or cleaning flues or tubes - Google Patents

Abstract

154,567. Mikshel, J. J. Nov. 22, 1919, [Convention date]. Cleaning externally.-The cleaning-rollers of machines for scaling the outside surfaces of flues or tubes are arranged to be radially adjustable, in order to deal with flues of varying diameter, whilst at the same time maintaining a practically uniform face-contact. Further, the axes of the cleaning-rollers, which are all rotated in the same direction, are inclined relatively to that of the flue in order to ensure a positive forward feed of the flue by a screw-thread action, the pitch of the " screw " being simultaneously varied, so that, as shown in Fig. 17, a quicker feed is imparted to a small flue (full lines) than to one of a larger diameter (shown dotted). This ensures a uniform cleaning action over each unit length of flue, irrespective of its diameter. The flue T, Fig. 3 is fed through a central guide tube 38, Fig. 5. Each of the three cleaning-rollers 20 is carried by a shaft 23 driven through a universal shaft 26 from gearing 75, 76 at the rear of the machine. The bearings 33 for the shafts 23 are carried by brackets 32 integral with spring- pressed plungers 55, which may slide and rotate within cylinders 56 formed at the ends of three radially-adjustable guide-members 29, Fig. 5, sliding in guides 44 on a face-plate 22, Fig. 7. These guide-members are secured by a stud 46, Fig. 7, passing through a radial slot 48 in the outer face-plate 22, to a block 47 adapted to slide in cam-slots 49, Fig. 3, formed in a ring 45, which is mounted on an annular rib 51 at the rear of the plate 22 so as to rotate thereon. As the ring 45 is rotated relatively to the face-plate 22, bv means of a screw shaft 81, it is obvious that the bearings 33 and the cleaning-rollers 20 will be drawn radially outwards to accommodate a flue of larger diameter. The slots 21, Fig. 7, which guide the bearings 33 in their outward movement are not truly radial, the divergencebeing sufficient to rotate the cleaning-rollers slightly about the plungers 55 as axes, in order to obtain the variable screw-feed action previously referred to. By adjusting spanner nuts 89 on the terminal sleeve unit 86 of the screw shaft 81, and providing a weight to operate the ring 45, the machine can be set so as automatically to clean shouldered flues, i.e. flues having two different diameters. The teeth of the cleaning- rollers are graduated in depth and in sharpness. and those of each roller are offset relatively to the others, in order to obtain the most effective cleaning action.